Home ⟩About Us ⟩Diversity, Access, and Equity (DAE) ⟩Diversity Mentorship Program

Diversity Mentorship Program

The USC Chan Diversity Mentorship Program supports current and prospective USC Chan students who are first-generation college students and/or who identify as belonging to underrepresented groups. The program is coordinated by the USC Student Recruitment and Admissions Teams, in collaboration with the Student Ambassadors and the Diversity, Access, and Equity Committee. Prospective students can benefit from support and guidance through the application process and current students can benefit from support during their academic experience. Through this initiative, we endeavor to increase access and decrease barriers for students in order to further diversify the profession of occupational therapy and discipline of occupational science, and reduce health disparities both nationally and globally.

Time commitment
Mentors and mentees are expected to communicate at least once per month for a minimum of 6 months in order to foster a fruitful relationship. The exact duration of the mentorship relationship can be determined by each mentor-mentee pair. The communication method between mentors and mentees will also be determined by each pair and can include phone calls, meeting for coffee or lunch, video chats, emails, etc. Our goal at USC Chan is to provide a compatible mentor for each mentee within two weeks of receiving their mentee application.

Apply to be a mentor

Submitting an application to serve as a mentor is a great way to share your knowledge and experiences with mentees. You will help your mentee/s explore occupational therapy as a career and better prepare them to become future leaders within the field. To be a mentor for the USC Chan Diversity Mentorship Program, you must be a current USC Chan student, USC Chan faculty, USC Chan staff member, or USC Chan alumni. Mentorship application ⟩

Apply to be a mentee

As a mentee, you will receive one-on-one support and gain insight from your mentor. They can offer professional and/or educational advice and help you to navigate challenging situations. Your mentor can also offer social support specific to your identity and lived experience. Mentorship application ⟩

Please note that mentees must be at least 18 years old to participate in this program.

Contact

Contact Kimberly Kho, with any questions or concerns.

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.